Method of and apparatus for supplying developing solution onto substrate

Abstract

A developing solution dispensing nozzle starts scanning at a scanning start position P1. After the developing solution dispensing nozzle reaches an edge of a substrate, the developing solution dispensing nozzle scans over the substrate while uniformly dispensing a developing solution to a surface of the substrate. The developing solution dispensing nozzle thereafter moves off the substrate from the other edge of the substrate. To uniformly supply the developing solution to a substrate, where a flow rate of the developing solution is set constant, a scanning speed is set large during an initial scanning section over a substrate, and the scanning speed is set slow during the remaining section. Meanwhile, where the scanning speed of the developing solution dispensing nozzle is set constant, the flow rate of the developing solution is gradually increased during the initial scanning section, and the flow rate is set constant during the remaining section.

We claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for supplying a developing solution to a stationary substrate, comprising: a) substrate holding means for holding a stationary substrate horizontally;   b) a developing solution dispensing nozzle for dispensing a developing solution onto said substrate;   c) moving means for moving said developing solution dispensing nozzle over said substrate which is held still by said substrate holding means, from a position on one side off said substrate to a position on the other side off said substrate; and   d) control means for controlling a quantity of a supply of said developing solution from said developing solution dispensing nozzle onto said substrate to be constant per unit area over the entire substrate while said developing solution dispensing nozzle driven by said moving means passes over said substrate, said control means comprising speed control means which sets a travel speed of said developing solution dispensing nozzle at which said developing solution dispensing nozzle moves from a predetermined position on said substrate to an edge of said substrate on the other side to a first speed, and sets a travel speed of said developing solution dispensing nozzle at which said developing solution dispensing nozzle moves from an edge of said substrate on said one side to said predetermined position to a speed which is faster than said first speed.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus for supplying a developing solution to a stationary substrate comprising: a) substrate holding means for holding a stationary substrate horizontally;   b) a developing solution dispensing nozzle for dispensing a developing solution onto said substrate;   c) moving means for moving said developing solution dispensing nozzle over said substrate which is held still by said substrate holding means, form a position on one side off said substrate to a position on the other side off said substrate; and   d) control means for controlling a quantity of a supply of said developing solution from said developing solution dispensing nozzle onto said substrate to be constant per unit area over the entire substrate while said developing solution dispensing nozzle driven by said moving means passes over said substrate, said control means comprising speed control means which sets a travel speed of said developing solution dispensing nozzle at which said developing solution dispensing nozzle moves from an edge of said substrate on said one side to a predetermined position to a first speed, and sets a travel speed of said developing solution dispensing nozzle at which said developing solution dispensing nozzle moves from said predetermined position on said substrate to an edge of said substrate on the other side to a speed which is slower than said first speed.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said speed control means sets a travel speed of said developing solution dispensing nozzle at a rear edge portion of said substrate to a speed which is slower than said first speed. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus for supplying a developing solution to a stationary substrate, comprising: a) a substrate holding means for holding a stationary substrate horizontally;   b) a developing solution dispensing nozzle for dispensing a developing solution onto said substrate;   c) moving means for moving said developing solution dispensing nozzle over said substrate which is held still by said substrate holding means, from a position on one side off said substrate to a position on the other side off said substrate; and   d) control means for controlling a quantity of a supply of said developing solution from said developing solution dispensing nozzle onto said substrate to be constant per unit area over the entire substrate while said developing solution dispensing nozzle driven by said moving means passes over said substrate, said control means comprising flow rate control means which sets a flow rate from said developing solution dispensing nozzle for dispensing from a predetermined position on said substrate to an edge of said substrate on the other side to a first flow rate, and sets a flow rate from said developing solution dispensing nozzle for dispensing from an edge of said substrate on said one side to said predetermined position to a flow rate which is smaller than said first flow rate.   
     
     
       5. An apparatus for supplying a developing solution to a stationary substrate comprising: a) substrate holding means for holding a stationary substrate horizontally;   b) a developing solution dispensing nozzle for dispensing a developing solution onto said substrate;   c) moving means for moving said developing solution dispensing nozzle over said substrate which is held still by said substrate holding means, from a position on one side off said substrate to a position on the other side off said substrate; and   d) control means for controlling a quantity of a supply of said developing solution from said developing solution dispensing nozzle onto said substrate to be constant per unit area over the entire substrate while said developing solution dispensing nozzle driven by said moving means passes over said substrate, said control means comprising flow rate control means which sets a flow rate from said developing solution dispensing nozzle for dispensing from an edge of said substrate on said one side to a predetermined position on said substrate to a first flow rate, and sets a flow rate from said developing solution dispensing nozzle for dispensing from said predetermined position to an edge of said substrate on the other side to a flow rate which is larger than said first flow rate.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said flow rate control means sets a flow rate from said developing solution dispensing nozzle at a rear edge portion of said substrate to a flow rate which is larger than said first flow rate. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus for supplying a developing solution to a substrate, comprising: a) substrate holding means for holding a substrate horizontally;   b) a developing solution dispensing nozzle for dispensing a developing solution onto said substrate;   c) moving means for moving said developing solution dispensing nozzle over said substrate which is held still by said substrate holding means, from a travel start position off said substrate on one side to a travel end position off said substrate on the other side; and   d) a solution removing member which is disposed between said travel start position and an edge of said substrate on said one side, said solution removing member removing said developing solution which adheres to a tip end of said developing solution dispensing nozzle.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said developing solution dispensing nozzle comprises a slit-like dispensing opening which is parallel to a surface of a substrate which is held by said substrate holding means, and said moving means moves said developing solution dispensing nozzle in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of said slit-like dispensing opening.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said solution removing member comprises a top edge portion which contacts and removes said developing solution which adheres to a tip end of said developing solution dispensing nozzle. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said top edge portion is disposed equidistantly from an outer peripheral edge of said substrate. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said substrate is a circular substrate, and said top edge portion is formed in the form of an arc which matches an outer peripheral edge of said substrate. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said top edge portion is formed in a linear shape which is parallel to a longitudinal direction of said slit-like dispensing opening. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said solution removing member comprises a suction opening for sucking in said developing solution which adheres to a tip end of said developing solution dispensing nozzle. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said suction opening is disposed equidistantly from an outer peripheral edge of said substrate. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said substrate is a circular substrate, and said suction opening is formed in the form of an arc which matches an outer peripheral edge of said substrate. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said suction opening is formed in a linear shape which is parallel to a longitudinal direction of said slit-like dispensing opening.